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Per Jim Carty, Lloyd Carr is considering the return of Carson Butler to the Wolverines.

Butler was acquitted of assault charges in the St. Patrick’s Day incident (the other defendant, Chris Richards, was convicted). In light of his legal troubles being cleared, Carr has decided to rethink Butler’s expulsion from the football team.

This will definitely have an effect on the field for Michigan this year, as Butler will be a second option with experience at the TE position to Mike Massey’s perpetually-injured shell of a body. This would allow for both incoming freshmen to likely redshirt.

However, there is a potential negative effect on recruiting, as Michigan recruited two top tight ends to make up for their dearth of bodies at the position. While a bird in hand is worth two in the bush, both Brandon Moore and Kevin Koger are phenomenal athletes, and it would be a shame to lose either of them.

…for 25 years. This is a sort of mixed blessing. If nothing else, it gives us a “name” program on our non-conference schedule in perpetuity, even if Notre Dame isn’t actually as good as their unnecessarily good reputation would imply.

On the other hand, it means we won’t be seeing a variety of non-conference foes who are high in the prestige factor. It will be the same old Notre Dame, over and over again, with the occasional foray into middle-of-the-pack BCS programs, with maybe a power here-and-there.

From my buddy in Houston who I forced to watch the show with the announcemet. His play by play:

A Real Texan: visit fell in loveA Real Texan: coach jacksonA Real Texan: rb staffA Real Texan: i can come in as freshman and be impact playerA Real Texan: wanna be successful as a unitA Real Texan: what i do is what i do???A Real Texan: not tamu b/c:A Real Texan: wants to experience new things, and to do that, i might as well do it at university of michiganA Real Texan: and dynamo highlights

I’ll update the recruiting grid, probably make an obligatory YouTube link and try to remember when Michigan has had this good of a recruiting class this early.

Instead of merely regurgitating the watch list announcements from MGoBlue, it’s far more honorable (and worthy a cause) to do a little legwork and come up with them myself.

Though not every postseason award has a watch list (many just start with semifinalist lists, or even just finalists), and some haven’t come out with their watch lists yet, many Michigan players are expected to be great next year. All of the Michigan players on postseason award watch lists are as follows:

Bruce Feldman from ESPN has some impressions from the annual Elite 11 quarterback camp. Going along with consensus, he finds Blaine Gabbert (Neb) the best in attendance, followed closely by ND-bound Dayne Crist.

Michigan’s John Weinke has been stated to be in the next tier of campers, above such players as FSU’s E.J. Manuel (who Tom Beaver of GBW calls vastly overrated by Scout at #5).

The best arm in attendance? Counselor Chad Henne. Feldman says his arm stands out far above such other players as Chase Daniel of Mizzou and Colt Brennan.